1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical equipment. The invention is an antiseptic marking pen which will enable medical personnel after using the device to eject a used antiseptic/marking tip and introduce in its place a clean uncontaminated replacement by depressing and sliding an advancement tab on the pen.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When medical personnel administer an injection to a patient, draw blood, or perform any intravenous procedure, the area of the skin to be pierced must first be cleansed. The antiseptic used is most often isopropyl alcohol, in part due to its rapid drying characteristic. The rapid drying time can also be a drawback however, as isopropyl alcohol is colorless, and therefore invisible when it has dried, leaving the person performing the procedure in some doubt as to the exact location of the cleansed area. A common procedure among some phlebotomists, for example, is to make a mark on the skin with a pen to identify a desired point of entry after the area is cleansed with isopropyl alcohol. While quick and convenient, this procedure is clearly not optimal, as the pen is very likely to be a source of contamination.
The prior art includes several references for devices that enable the user to either mark or cleanse the site of an intended skin puncture. One such reference for a marking device is the xe2x80x9cHypodermic Syringe and a Method for Marking Injectionsxe2x80x9d by Carswell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,270, issued Mar. 9, 1993. This reference discloses a cover for the syringe that has a marking pigment installed at the closed end of the cover. One drawback to this device is that the exposed pigment will not only mark the injection site, but also the user""s pocket. Further, there is no provision for an antiseptic agent.
A reference that discloses an antiseptic means integral to the syringe unit is the xe2x80x9cNeedle Cover Assembly having Self-Contained Drug Applicatorxe2x80x9d of Chiappetta, U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,229, issued Nov. 23, 1999. This device utilizes a drug swab contained in a cover for the needle of the syringe.
There is no reference in the prior art that discloses a device that enables the user to both cleanse and to mark the intended site of an injection or other sub-dermal procedure. This means that the medical technician must use more than one instrument for each such procedure.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device that can both apply an antiseptic while simultaneously marking a site on a patient""s skin.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device that accomplishes sterile marking.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a device that is quick and easy to use.
The present invention is an advancing antiseptic marking pen. A barrel of the pen holds a plurality of antiseptic/marking tips. The tips contain a colored antiseptic substance. Products such as BETADINE(copyright) or a chlorhexadine isopropyl alcohol colorant combination work quite well due to their antiseptic capability and bright coloring. When an indicated area on the patient""s body is cleansed, the area remains marked by the antiseptic colorant combination so that the user of the pen can clearly ascertain the indicated area. A protective cap fits over the open end of the pen to prevent bacteria and other contaminants from contacting the antiseptic/marking tips.
When the pen is to be used, the operator must of course first remove the protective cap. The operator then depresses and slides an advancing tab on a top side of the barrel of the pen to advance an antiseptic/marking tip to an in-use position. After the indicated area is cleansed (and simultaneously marked), the operator again depresses and slides the advancing tab to eject the used tip. The protective cap is then replaced by the operator so that the pen can be conveniently stored in a pocket, and so that the antiseptic/marking tips remain in an airtight environment.
An advantage of the present invention is that the operator can use a single instrument to cleanse and mark an indicated area.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the pen is easy to use with one hand.
A still further advantage of the present invention is that after use, the antiseptic/marking tips are simply discarded by pressing and sliding the advancing tab, thereby eliminating cleanup time and effort. When all the antiseptic/marking tips are used, the pen itself may be discarded so that no refilling of the device is required. Alternatively, refill cartridges of the antiseptic/marking tips can be used with the device.